Waterproofed material and method of producing the same.



- o. "rare, or monument, aunnno, can it assrenoa ro ra'rn manor 11-1;nr'rrc WAEUOJFING' COMP t 'rron 01F Ill YORK.

aaoaou tl'o Drawing.

To all whom it may concern: .lBe it'known that l, ALFRED. 0. TATE, asubject of the g of Great Britain, residling in Montreal, in theProvince of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new anuseful Improvements in Waterproofed Materials and Methods of Producingthe'Same, of which the following is a description. 4

. My'invention relates 'more' particularly to the art of waterproofingfibrous materials bythe suspension or elimination of the cap illaryaction of the fibers of a fabric, thus preventing the penetration orabsorption of moisture, in the general manner described 111 my priorPatent No. 933,861, issued to me September 14;, 1909, this inventionbeing in the nature of an improvement upon the method of In priorpatent.

I Some of the objects of my invention are to improye the process of myprior. Patent at. 933,861; to effect a practically permanent suspensionor elimination of capillary action in fibrous materials, thus effectinga substantial waterproofing lot the fabric without at thev same timeappreciably -de-' creasing its original porosity or ventilatingqualities; to efiectnwaterproofing of said materials without appreciablychanging their tenure or color; to render materials so treatedpractically stainproof; to fix dyes in fabrics treated with unfixeddyes; and to obtain the foregoing objects by means of mechanism which issimple, economical'and rapidly operated.

, Generally spealn'ng, my invention consists in the permeation orimpregnation "of the material to be treated, which may be in the form ofa ceous substance, and the incorporation therein of a metallic sulfateand a metallic hydroxid. I thus incorporate in the material treated amaterial which is water-repelling at least of which is insoluble inwater. These three substances combine to form an insoluble waterproofsubstance with which the fibers of the material are impregnated to theextent that capillary action is more or less entirely eliminated, V. vMaterials treated according to my improved process are practicallywaterproof and remain so even after'having been subjected to friction orwear, or boiling for In tllDlE'lElD MATERI D METHOD 01E PRODUCING THEspecification of Letters Patent.

fabric or thread, with a saponavention.

, INCQRPURATED, 01F YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- lll E.

Patented nee; is, rare,

Application filed December 31, 19M. Serial Ito. $79,87tiperiods longenough to indicate the pine- 5 any fiber with \which I am familiar. Alu-Imnum sulfate and aluminum hydroxid are preferably used. because, whencombined with the sodluni palmate, a practically colorless waterproofand non-absorbent substance is formed, thus preserving the originalcolor of the material treated. These substances also have importantphysical and chemical properties, by reason of which they lendthemselves to the practice of my process. While I have stated thesesubstances to be those which lat present prefer inthe practice of myinvention, it will be. evident to those'skilled in the art that othersubstances might be substituted for those named as, for instance,.thesulfates and hydroxids 'of'other metals. It is also evident 7 thatsaponaceous substances, other thanpalmate .of'soda, ma be found suitableto the practice of my 1nvention,- and I do not", therefore, desire toconfine myself to the use of any of the three substances particularlydescribed, but intend to cover in my claims all equivalent methods ofpractising my in- ][n practising my improved process, the materialtreatedis first saturate with a solutiomof the saponaceous substance,pref-, erably sodium palmate, and then passed be tween two electrodes,which may be in the form of conducting rolls, although electrodes of an.other suitable shape may be used. One e ectrode or roll represents thepositive,

and the other the negative, element of an."

electrolytic cell through which a current ofv electriclty flows,substantially as disclosed in my before mentioned patent. Theposi- 'tiveelectrode or roll should be of the metal the hydroxid of which it isdesired to inproofing qualities in the fabric being treated corporate.The negative roll or electrode of a very'high order. Not only does themay be of any suitable material. When current thus provide a quickerchemical preusin aluminum sulfate and aluminum 'hycipitation of aluminumpalmate and alumidroxid I usually make both rolls of the num hydrate,and a chemical excess of a metal aluminum. While the material under"valuable water repelling material on the in-- treatment is passingbetween the'electrodes, dividual fibers, but owing to the phenome- Iapply a saturated solution of the metallic non of what is known aselectric osmosis, the sulfate, such as aluminum sulfate, in any currentfurther acts to physically carry into suitable manner, as by spraying onthe surthe pores of the fibers, or to bodily impregface of thenegativeroll. At the same time, nate said pores to any desired extent, with anascent metallic hydroxid, as for instance, the said excess of aluminumhydrate, and aluminum hydroxid, is introduced by electhe latter istherefore deposited in said pores trolytic precipitation from thesurface of to a greater depth than it is possible to dethe positivemetallic'roll. It will be underposit it through chemical precipitationalone. stood that the number of pairs of electrodes It therefore followsthat my product is or rolls may be increased as desired, for the easilydistinguishable on the market from purpose of augmenting the quantity ofnonother products of a similar nature, in that absorbent substanceintroduced into the it is much more resistant to the dissolving fabric,in the manner described above. After and frictional action of boilingwater; and

. passing through the electrodesthe material further, it evenresists'the solvent action of is washed and dried in any suitablemanner. gasolene, benzene, and other similar hydro-v It will beunderstood that the strength carbon solvents, which no other like prodofthe solutions, the time of treatment, and uct'will withstand so far as Ihave been able the value of the current may be varied, deto discover. Inother words, it is evident pending in great measure upon the nature,that the electrolytic action of the current on quality and thicknessof'the material to be the sodium palmate and aluminum sulfate treated.These values may best be determined by test. For the purpose of givingtation of both the aluminum palmate and values which I have foundoperative, I will the aluminum hydrate, so that the rapidly describethose I'prefer to use in the case of traveling fabric will receive inagiven time woolens, such as ordinarily used for clotha greater quantityof each than would othering, although these values may vary from Wise bethe case. And as it is'further evithose stated. In the case of Woolensof this dent that the quantity of the water repelling type, I find thata satisfactory degree of hydrate or other compound'which is formedwaterproofing is obtained by using a solution from the solubleelectrodes is independent of sodium palmate in the proportions of of thestrength of the said solution, it necesone-half ounce of white castilesoap contain sarily follows that my method may deliver ing sodiumpalmate to one gallon of water, a greater quantity of insolublesubstances to a saturated solution of aluminum sulfate the rapidlytraveling fibers than it would and current density of about sevenamperes be ossible to deposit chemically thereon. per linear foot ofcylindrical electrode sur- And again, since the current acts to carryface. In this case the goods are passed besaid excess, or additionalquantity of sub tween the electrodes at the rate of about five stancesbodily into the pores of the fibers, feet perminute, the rolls usedbeing seven fabrics treated by my process still act to inches indiameter, the'positiveroll being repel solvents seeking to enter saidpores, aluminum and the negative roll being even though the individualfibers may have graphite. been previously subjected to rather rough Theaction of the current in the above usage, which is not true of othersimilar described process is important inproducing products, so far as Ihave been able to find a superior product, for in addition to any out.aluminum hydrate, and aluminum palmate, While, to the best of myknowledge and that may be ordinarily precipitated by the belief, theabove correctly describes. the chemical action of the aluminum sulfateon chemical and electrical actions which take the sodium palmate presentin the cloth, place in practice, yet, since said actions are the saidcurrent acts in passing between the by no means simple, or easily roved,it is aluminum electrodes to not only hasten this to be understood that,I do not it myself true chemical precipitation but also to electo anyparticular theory of operation or trolytically precipitate on the fibersof the action. cloth what I call a chemical excess of alumi- By the termpahnate used in the descripnum hydrate, which is independent of any tionand claims I mean to designate the comchemical proportions of sodiumpalmate and pounds chemically known as palmitates.

aluminum sulfate present; .as this said While I have described onespecific chemical excess of aluminum hydrate is method of carryin out myinventlon, I water repellent it serves to produce water do not desire,as 1%1ave pointed out, to be solution will facilitate the chemicalprecipimanages confined to the particular substances, values,

or mechanisms used therein, since, as l have stated, these may begreatly varied Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

at I claim is:

l, The described method of waterproofing fibrous materials consisting inimpregnating the mass thereof with a saponaceous substance, chemicallyincorporating therein a metal palmate and a metal hydroxid; andelectrolytically incorporating in said mass an additional quantity ofametal hydroxid.

2. The described method of waterproofing fibrous materials consisting inimpregnating the mass thereof with a saponaceous substance and thenelectrol tically incorporating into the fibers thereoi and a metallichydroxid. -3. The described method or process of waterproofing fibrousmaterials consisting in permeating the mass thereof with a saponaceousliquid and a metal sulfate and electrolytically incorporating therein ametal palmate and a metal hydroxid which coact in the fibers of thematerial being treated to make them of a non-capillary nature.

ing fibrous. material consisting d. The described method of waterproofnating it with a saponaceous liquid and then electrolyticallyincorporating in the fibers thereof-a lurality of substances which coactto ma e said fibers substantially noncapillary one of such substancesbeing insoluble in water.

5. The described method of waterproofing fibrous materials consisting inimpregnating the mass with a saponaceous liquid and an aluminumsulfateand subjecting the material to the action of an electric current betweenelectrodes one of which is soluble.

6. The described method of waterproof-- ing fibrous materials consistingin impre nating the mass with a saponaceous liquid a metal palmate 1nlmpregmass thereof with asaponaceous substance and then'incorporatingtherein a metal sulfate to form a metal hydroxid, and subjecting saidimpregnated fabric to the action of an electric current between aluminumelectrodes proof fabric having its fibers permeated with, an insolublewater repelling hydroxid the impermeability of the said fabric beingsubstantially unaffected by the action of boilin water, and gasolene,substantially as descri 0 12. The method of waterproofing fibrousmaterials which consists in impregnating said materials with an alkalimetal palmate and a metal sulfate, to form a metal hydroxid; andsubjecting the impregnated fabric to the action of a soluble anode in anelectrolytic circuit, substantially as de scribed.

13." The method of waterproofing fibrous materials which consists inimpregnating said materials with a solution of sodium palmate andaluminum sulfate to precipitate aluminum hydrate. and palmate; andsubjecting said impregnated fabric to the action of an electric currentbetween alumi- Y num electrodes to produce an excess of aluminumhydroxid and to drive the same into the fibers of said fabric,substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof ll have signed this specification in the presenceof two sub scribing witnesses.

'ALFRED (l. TATE.

Witnesses:

M. MAGIN ml Warmer? S Jones.

